The tendency of unhypnotized subjects to countercontrol or adjust their performance in opposition to the perceived hypothesis of the experimenter was studied in a 2 × 3 factorial design, with susceptibility as the first factor and amnesia, hypermnesia or control suggestions as the second factor. Relearning rates were measured for the 42 unhypnotized college students who served as subjects. Results showed that hypermnesic subjects adjusted their relearning rates in opposition to the suggestion given to them. Implications for the use of hypnotic suggestions with unhypnotized control groups were discussed.
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